With a penchant for big melodies and driving guitars, Through Sand is a Miami band that first got together in a jam room back in 2016. Featuring ex-members of Shai Hulud and Gouge Away, the quartet was inspired by groups like Hum and Far, and they've released two EPs to date.
Through Sand is a four-piece from Miami, Florida, with a sound inspired by late 90's alt-rock bands (Hum, Far). Formed in 2016, the band previously self released two EP's and features ex-members of Gouge Away and Shai Hulud.
"After we put out our first batch of songs, [bassist] Peter [Allen] and I set out to write the record we always wanted to hear as kids," vocalist/guitarist Chad Kishick told No Echo via email earlier this week. "Long-form, detailed, layered; regardless if anyone was going to hear it or not, we wanted to see what could come from analysing every note, part and lyric.
"We recorded 13 songs with Ryan Haft (Wrong, Jacuzzi Boys) and Jonathan Nunez (Torche) for a full-length release, but between members relocating and the eventual covid lockdowns, it felt like it was going to be that thing that just sat on our hard drives and never got out there.
"Tyler at KOTP came to us with the idea of releasing four of those songs on a tape ahead of an eventual full length release and we were all on board."
Check out one of those tracks, "New Ways," via video directed by Thomas Crawford in this No Echo premiere:
If the singer during the chorus sounds familiar, that's because it's no other than Damien Moyal (As Friends Rust, Culture). "The first time we demoed out 'New Ways,' I immediately heard Damien's voice over the chorus," Chad told us. "I grew up listening to As Friends Rust, and I'm a huge fan of his Damien Done material, so having him on this song was really special."
"'New Ways' was one of the last songs to come together for the album," Through Sand bassist Peter Allen offered to No Echo. "The lyrics are about the internal struggle that unfolds when you carry two diametrically opposed pieces of your identity that are central to who you are. You want them to coexist but secretly know that they can't, and you feel the anguish caused by those two forces battling each other out.
"It's hard to let go of the things you thought you wanted for yourself even when you know that following a different path will ultimately be the best thing for you. Death of father figures comes up as a theme several times on the album in general.
In my case, my father and grandfather passed a few years apart and could not have been more different people.
"The second verse that Damien sang for us addresses the reality of their deaths along with the fact that I legally changed my name to reflect the one I'd been called since birth. I always aimed to make them both proud but one was a leftist artist and poet, and the other was a conservative catholic activist.
"The reality is that love is never painless and ultimately this song is about facing that pain and knowing that there will always be someone disappointed in what you dedicate your energy to. It is always worth it to be true to yourself, and this song addresses the emotional cost of doing so."
A new Through Sand song will be released every three weeks leading up to the release of a 4-song tape on February 19th, 2021.
Pre-orders for long sleeves, tapes, and bundles are available now on Bandcamp, and will ship out the day of the release.
Through Sand on social media: Facebook | Instagram
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